The schoolboy was kicked and punched around the head after being attacked by two other teenagers.

15-year-old victim of 'happy slap' attack

Today his distraught mother slammed the yobs who carried out the "unprovoked" attack on her son.

English Martyrs pupil Cameron O'Connor was on his way to a snooker centre when he was attacked on Belle Vue Way shortly after 4pm on Sunday.

He blacked out during the incident and the attack only stopped when a woman passing by stepped in and shouted at the pair to leave Cameron alone.

They then ran off and the woman took Cameron into Tesco where an ambulance was called.

Cameron's mum, Paula Gibson, said she felt "sick to her stomach" when she received a call from her ex-partner, Kevin O'Connor, 43, who told her their son had been hurt.

She said: "I got a call from Kevin to tell me to go straight to the hospital. I felt sick to my stomach and just had a horrible sinking feeling. I didn't know what to think.

"When you see one of your children hurt like that it is very upsetting.
"I'm scared to let him go out now in case it happens again and he is very shaken.

"He is still having flashbacks.

"Cameron said they just came up to him and pushed him into a barrier by the side of the road before they started punching him. It was totally unprovoked.

"He blacked out but said he could feel them kicking him in the head the whole time.

"It's just disgusting. Why would they do something like that?"

The injured boy was taken to the University Hospital of Hartlepool where he was cleaned up and had X-rays to check for broken bones.

He was released the same day after being treated for swelling to his right eye, cheekbone and nose.

Paula, who is married to John Gibson, 48, and has two other children, Kate O'Connor, 18, and Ryan Gibson, nine, said: "He's got a black eye and some bruises. He's only small, he didn't stand a chance.

"It is just sickening. I dread to think what could have happened if it wasn't for the woman that helped.

The 38-year-old, who lives on the Headland, now wants to find the woman who chased the yobs away.

"I just want to be able to say thank you to her. She took him into Tesco and they were able to call his dad and an ambulance.

"It could have been a lot worse if it wasn't for her and I haven't been able to find out who she was."

A spokeswoman for Cleveland Police said: "The incident has been reported to us and investigations are ongoing."

If anyone has any information they can contact Cleveland police on (01642) 302126.